Personal thoughts, opinions and comments of an independent consultant, political analyst and historian, who lives in Ireland but is aware of the whole world.

20 January 2009

ITGWU began working 100 Years ago

While this morning Dáil Éireann commemorated its own 90th birthday one day prematurely (which brings bad luck), there was no mention during the special parliamentary session of another Irish institution that is actually 100 years old today.Sadly only a few people in Ireland celebrated, and most of our citizens are not even aware of the significant date.

Exactly 100 years ago today - on January 20th, 1909 - James Larkin (right) issued union cards to the first members of the Irish Transport Worker’s Union, which he had just founded. (There is a slight dispute over the correct date on which the union began its work. SIPTU, now the largest trade union in Ireland and the direct descendant of James Larkin's first union, celebrated its 100th anniversary already 16 days ago, on the 4th of January.)The commitment of Larkin and his early union members to fairness, equality, democracy and freedom was a great help in the preparations for the Easter Rising of 1916 and in the subsequent struggle for freedom and independence.

The Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union (ITGWU) - as it was called later - organised the strike that led to the Great Lockout of 1913. During this strike Larkin gave speeches all over Dublin, despite being arrested for 'seditious libel' and released on bail.In a now famous speech on August 28th, 1913 (photo above left) he said: “Before I go any further, with your permission, I am going to burn the Proclamation of the King. People make Kings, and people can unmake them.”

During the Great Lockout of 1913 James Larkin and James Connolly also helped to establish an Irish Citizen Army (Arm Cathartha na hÉireann). Its main purpose was to counter the bands of thugs and criminals hired by employers to harrass union members, and to provide security at workers’ meetings. The Irish Citizen Army had also, by its constitution, to pursue nationalist aims for Ireland.

In 1914 James Connolly said in commemoration of the workers that were killed during the Great Lockout one year before:"Our fight of last year was not for added wages and reduction of hours; it was for an opportunity of building up in our midst men and women, a chance to develop nobility and grandeur of character for men and women, a time to realise the nobility of life, to study the history of Ireland, to study our rights as well as our duties. It was a time to develop men and women for the coming crisis, so that they might take advantage of it when it came. … If you are itching for a rifle, itching to fight, it is better to fight for our own country than for the robber empire. If ever you shoulder a rifle, let it be for Ireland."

Less than two years later, on Easter Monday, August 24th, 1916, the Irish Citizen Army fought alongside the Irish Volunteers in Dublin, in particular on St. Stephen’s Green and in the General Post Office (GPO) on O'Connell Street (then named Sackville Street).A British gunboat that shelled Dublin during the Easter Rising singled out Liberty Hall - the headquarters of the ITGWU on Beresford Place - for special attention and left it a smouldering ruin.

After the failure of the Easter Rising it took months before Irish nationalism recovered. But the fire was lit and could not be quenched again, no matter how hard the British tried. The execution of James Connolly and the other main leaders of the rising by a British firing squad outraged Ireland and inspired tens of thousands to join the ITGWU.In 1918 the union led a general strike against conscription, and this was - together with the widespread activities of Sinn Féin - the preparation for the general election in December and subsequently Dáil Éireann, which will be 90 years old tomorrow.

But today Ireland's workers, true patriots and republicans, remember the great James Larkin (who - after a few years in the USA - returned to Ireland in 1923, continued his work until his death in 1947 and was also twice elected to the Dáil) and the powerful trade union - now SIPTU - he established 100 years ago on this day.

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FACTS ABOUT IRELAND

The Emerald Isle

(also known as Ireland) has been inhabited by humans for at least 10,000 years. This image shows the topographical structure of the island, which was until recent times very important and decided in many cases where the people would build their settlements.The oldest surviving monuments in Ireland date from megalithic times between 5000 and 3500 BCE. About 200 BCE the Celts, familiar with the use of iron, conquered the island.

Around 1000 years later Viking raiders from Norway appeared, and in 914 they built the first city in Ireland, calling it "Vadra Fjord" (safe anchorage), which later became Waterford.In 1169 this city was the first to be taken by the Normans, when they invaded and conquered large parts of the island, including the capital Dublin.

In later centuries Ireland became more known for emigrants, as famine, poverty and oppression drove people out into the world. (About 45 million Americans have Irish ancestry.)However, since the unexpected economic boom (known as the "Celtic Tiger"), which we had for about a dozen years, there are now many immigrants on the Emerald Isle, coming from almost everywhere and turning the once quiet and introvert island into a vibrant international community.

Unfortunately the boom turned out to be only a bubble, based on false hopes, speculation and criminal gambling by reckless bankers. So now we are in a deep economic recession, which is made even worse by our current incompetent government.What will happen to Ireland in the future is hard to say, but it all will depend on making the right political, economic, and social decisions.

There is a realistic chance that Ireland could become a major producer of clean energy, and proposals have been presented already to the government and the public. It will now depend on our politicians to make the right decisions. If they do, then we can have a bright and promising future. If not, Ireland is in danger of becoming a poor third-world country.

Ireland's Countryside

is predominantly green. It is said that there are actually forty different shadesofgreen on the island, but few people go around counting.The landscape is rolling, with drumlins, hills and river valleys, and one is never far from the sea in Ireland.Ancient Stones like the one on this photo can be found in many parts of Ireland. They are the remnants of the old religion, which is once again growing on the Emerald Isle.

Ireland's National Flag

was first introduced during the uprising of 1848 in Waterford, Ireland's oldest city, by Thomas Francis Meagher, a native of the city who later rose to prominence as a Union General (and leader of the famous Irish Brigade) during the American Civil War (1861-65).An Bhratach Náisiúnta, as she is called in Irish, is a vertical (revolutionary) tricoleur, inspired by and modeled on the flag of the French Republic.The colours are green, white and orange. They represent the land and the predominantly Catholic nationalist majority (green), the protestant Anglo-Irish minority (orange), and the peace (white) that exists between them.

The flag was used by nationalists in private since 1848 and flown in public again during the Easter Rising of 1916 in Dublin. In 1919 she was adopted as the official flag of the Irish Republic.

Uachtarán na hÉireann

Prof. Mary McAleese is the 8th President of the Republic of Ireland. First elected to the office in 1997 as a representative of the majority government party Fianna Fáil, she is now in her second seven-year term, to which she was elected without opposition in 2004. She is the second female President of the Republic and currently also the longest-serving elected female head of state in the world. Born in Belfast, she encountered the Northern troubles first-hand and her Catholic family was forced out of their house by "loyalist" terrorists. After studying law in Belfast and Dublin, she qualifed as a barrister. In 1975 she was appointed a professor in the legal faculty of Trinity College, Dublin and in 1979 joined RTÉ television as a journalist and presenter. Since 1981 she combined both areas of work, but returned in 1987 to Belfast, as Director of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Queen's University, which appointed her Pro-Vice Chancellor in 1994.

An Taoiseach

Brian Cowen, TD is the 12th Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland and the 7th leader of the majority government party Fianna Fáil. In 1984, aged 24, he was elected to the Dáil in the constituency his father Bernhard, a local publican, had represented before. After 8 years in parliament, Cowen was appointed Minister for Labour in 1992. Since then he served as Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, Minister for Health and Children, and - from 2000 to 2004 - as the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Since 2005 Brian Cowen was Minister for Finance, and since 2007 also Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister). When Taoiseach Bertie Ahern declared his resignation on April 2nd, 2008, Cowen was elected unopposed as the new leader of Fianna Fáil on April 9th. On May 7th, 2008 Dáil Eireann elected him Taoiseach. He leads a coalition government inherited from Bertie Ahern and supported by the Green Party and four independent TDs. The now 48-year-old, sometimes referred to as 'Biffo', is married and father of two daughters. A keen Gaelic football fan, he also continues to be president of Clara GAA club.

The Parliament

of Ireland is known as the Houses of the Oireachtas. The House of Deputies (currently 166) is called Dáil Éireann, while 60 Senators form Seanad Éireann, the Senate. Both meet at Leinster House on Dublin's Kildare Street (above). The former city residence of the Duke of Leinster was sold in 1815 to the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) which added two new wings, to accomodate the National Library and the National Museum. After the formation of the Irish Free State in 1922 the central part was chosen as the provisional parliament chamber (until some proper building would be found). Despite plans to turn the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, into the seat of the Oireachtas, it never happened. So Leinster House is still at the heart of Irish politics. And when Irish architect James Hoban designed the White House in Washington, D.C., he modeled it on Leinster House.

A few words about me

Having been born into an old European family (with 75% of the genes Celtic) I learned early that history and traditions are very important. After a quite turbulent childhood and youth, spent in different countries on three continents, I joined the Navy, served for many years in ships, other commands, and became a historian.
After leaving the Navy I worked in a museum and national monument, taught in school and college, edited a magazine and worked as journalist and broadcaster. Now I earn my crust as an independent consultant and analyst. In my scarce spare time I am involved in various social activities and charity work, write and read a lot, and sometimes even find time for painting.
My house is old and small, and I share it with a cat. Living a simple Spartan life, I eat vegetarian food and do not enjoy alcohol and most entertainments.
Life is too short to be wasted on fripperies. Every day is needed to do one's share - no matter how small it might be - to save the planet and its living creatures.

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